1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the improvement of an IC card with socket which is inserted into and extracted from an IC card connector device.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are conventionally available IC cards with socket having a large storage capacity. The IC card with socket includes an IC composed of an ultra-high dense circuit and disposed in it and a plurality of socket contacts mounted on a socket housing.
The IC card with socket will be described based on the side elevational view of FIG. 6 which shows the card with the main portion of it shown in a cross section. First, the IC card with socket 10 has a metal cover 11 formed to the exterior thereof and a socket housing 12 is mounted in the metal cover 11. Disposed to the socket housing 12 are a plurality of socket inserting holes 12a and a plurality of pin inserting holes 12c disposed in connection to the socket inserting holes 12a. The socket inserting holes 12a are located on the upper and lower sides of the socket housing 12 in two rows in a lateral direction and the pin inserting holes 12c are located on the front surface section 12b of the socket housing 12.
Socket contacts 13 are inserted into the socket inserting holes 12a. The socket contacts 13 have terminal sections 13a which extends therefrom rearward in two rows on upper and lower sides, and a substrate 14 is clamped between the terminal sections 13a. An IC circuit 14a composed of an LSI and the like having a large storage capacity are mounted on the substrate 14.
Further, the interior of the IC card with socket 10 is sealed by the metal cover 11 on the outside periphery thereof.
In the conventional IC card with socket 10 arranged as described above, even if a finger and the like of an operator to which static electricity is charged approach the front surface section 12b of the socket housing 12, since the static electricity is discharged to the metal cover 11 and removed, a failure caused by the static electricity to the IC circuit 14a, which is composed of the LSI and the like and mounted on the substrate 14, can be prevented.
For example, if an operator operating the IC card with socket 10 is wearing nylon clothing, friction from the nylon clothing may create a high voltage static electricity buildup present on the operator.
When a finger and the like of the operator to which the static electricity having the large amount of charge is charged approach the front surface section 12b of the socket housing 12, the static electricity may be discharged to the socket contacts 13 in the socket housing 12. Thus, there is a possibility that a failure such as electrostatic breakdown is caused to the IC circuit 14a by the discharge.